Mounting base and rings for mounting an optical scope to a rocket propelled grenade (rpg) launcher

ABSTRACT

An optical scope mounting system is disclosed including a back-sloped base mount and a pair of rings, to cooperate with the base mount, for positioning an optical scope laterally of the weapon on which it is mounted. The optical mounting system finds utility on rocket propelled grenade (RPG) launchers. The back-sloped base mount creates a divergence between the centerline of the bore of the RPG launcher and the line of sight through the optical scope.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims benefit of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 62/240,401 filed Oct. 12, 2015, and which is entirely incorporated by reference herein.

FIELD

The subject matter herein generally relates to a rocket propelled grenade (RPG) launcher and more specifically to mounts for scopes for a RPG launcher.

BACKGROUND

Optical sights have been used with rocket propelled grenade (RPG) launchers for many years. Optical sights for RPG launchers were developed by the Russians and quickly copied by the Chinese. A prior art Chinese RPG scope 10 is shown in FIG. 1. Such scopes (of both Russian and Chinese design) include a prism in implementation of the design, so that light would enter the objective lens 12 and pass into a prism (not shown) positioned in the interior of housing in the vicinity of portion 14 such that it could be viewed through eyepiece 16. A mount 18 at the base of optical sight 10 clamps onto a protrusion of the RPG launcher by movement of a wedge shaped portion 19 by a lever 20.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a photograph of a Chinese designed optical sight for a RPG launcher;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an optical scope according to the present disclosure;

FIG. 3 is a schematic, perspective view of a base mount of the optical scope mounting system according to a preferred embodiment;

FIG. 4 is an schematic, elevation view of the base mount of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a schematic end view of the base mount of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a schematic view of a ring for use with the base of FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the ring of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a RPG launcher with an optical scope mounted on the scope mounting system in position for a right eyed shooter;

FIG. 9 is an elevation view of the scope mounting system of FIG. 8 illustrating the offset line of sight through the optical scope as compared to the axis of a bore of a RPG launcher; and

FIG. 10 illustrates an elevation view of the RPG launcher looking down the bore from a muzzle end.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

It will be appreciated that for simplicity and clarity of illustration, where appropriate, reference numerals have been repeated among the different figures to indicate corresponding or analogous elements. In addition, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments described herein. However, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the embodiments described herein can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, methods, procedures and components have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the related relevant feature being described. Also, the description is not to be considered as limiting the scope of the embodiments described herein. The drawings are not necessarily to scale and the proportions of certain parts have been exaggerated to better illustrate details and features of the present disclosure.

Several definitions that apply throughout this disclosure will now be presented. The term “substantially” is defined to be essentially conforming to the particular dimension, shape or other word that substantially modifies, such that the component need not be exact. For example, substantially cylindrical means that the object resembles a cylinder, but can have one or more deviations from a true cylinder. The term “about” signifies that the amount includes the specified amount, but can also include those values that are substantially close to the specified amount. Additionally by using both specified and about, the description can include just the values indicated in at least one example.

The present technology includes an optical scope mounting system for a rocket propelled grenade (RPG) launcher. In at least one embodiment, the system can include a rail mount. The rail mount can have a lower surface shaped to be complementary to an exterior surface of the barrel of the RPG launcher and to be mounted over and in-line with a bore of the RPG barrel. Additionally, the rail mount can have an upper surface to accept a pair of rings configured to receive an optical scope. The system can further include a pair of rings; each ring of the pair of rings can have a base configured to engage with the rail mount. Additionally, each ring can have a portion configured to receive the optical scope. The rail mount can be shaped so as to be back-sloped in a direction opposite to a muzzle of the bore.

In another embodiment of the present disclosure, a base mount is provided to be back-sloped away from the muzzle of the RPG launcher. The top of the base mount can be provided with a Picatinny style rail to facilitate mounting of the rings.

The rings are provided with a clamping portion, which is operated by a thumb nut, to securely fasten the rings to the base. The base can be dovetailed and complementary shaped clamping portions of the lower portions of the rings securely hold the rings to the bases.

In a further embodiment, a connecting portion of each of the rings between the base and the portion of the ring to receive the optical scope is shaped to position the optical scope offset from, and laterally of, the bore of the RPG. The positioning of the scope is important because placing the optical scope directly above the bore of the muzzle presents an awkward position for a shooter to sight through the optical sight. Accordingly, the connecting portion of the rings are configured to move the scope to the left and away from the bore of the RPG launcher to place the optical scope in position for a right eye shooter, while simultaneously elevating the scope well above the muzzle of the RPG launcher. The rings could be reversed to position the scope to the right of the muzzle for a left eye shooter. The prior art sights designed by the Russians and Chinese would not accommodate movement of the scope to allow for a different dominant eye of the shooter because the mount was to a fixed protrusion on the RPG launcher.

These and other embodiments and objects will be better understood with referenced to the appended drawings and the detailed discussion of the illustrated embodiments.

FIG. 1 illustrates a prior art optical sight 10 based on a Chinese design for an RPG launcher. The optical sight 10 is of the prism design where light entering through the objective lens 12 passes through a prism (not shown) in the vicinity of element 14 which it is diverted and passes through eyepiece 16. An integral mount 18 at the base of optical sight 10 clamps onto a protrusion of the RPG launcher by movement of a wedge shaped portion 19 by means of a lever 20. This type of mount 18 does not securely fasten the optical sight 10 to the RPG launcher, for example, the optical sight 10 can be dislodged by bumping lever 20. Additionally, the nature of the clamping, by reason of a wedge shaped portion 19, does not precisely re-position the scope 10 in relation to the RPG launcher.

FIG. 2 illustrates an optical scope according to the present disclosure. The optical scope 20 has an objective lens 22 through which light enters the scope 20. After the light passes through a series of lenses and a reticle (neither shown), the light exits through eyepiece 24. Turrets 25, 26 are provided for internal adjustment of elevation and windage, respectively. Lens 22 may be provided with one or more coatings to improve brightness or filter certain wavelengths of light, as desired. Furthermore, the scope 20 can be configured to receive optical covers (not shown) that prevent dust and other debris from impacting the objective lens 22 and/or the eyepiece 21.

The path of flight of an RPG is unlike the path of flight of a projectile filed from a rifle. RPGs do not have a symmetrical path of flight, such as a projectile fired from a rifle. In a rifle, the path of flight is symmetric, so that the flight path rises from the bore of the barrel to its greatest highest point and then descends. An RPG, on the other hand, has a first path of flight from the muzzle of the RPG launcher due to propellant in the RPG that forces it from the muzzle and a second path of flight beginning when the rockets of the RPG ignite some distance away from the muzzle. In one example, the RPG drops about 40 inches from the muzzle in the first 10-15 meters from the muzzle until the rocket ignites. In another example, the RPG drops about one meter from the muzzle in the first ten to fifteen meters from the muzzle until the rocket ignites. In other embodiments, different drops from the muzzle are also considered. The above example is considered to be a non-limiting example. In the case of a projectile from a rifle elevation from the muzzle is constant until the apogee of the projectile path is reached. Thus, the fixed aiming point 46 permits the RPG to hit a target at known distance, for example, fifty meters, even though the path of flight is asymmetric and is somewhat also dependent on ambient temperature, which ambient temperature can vary greatly (either hot or cold) from room temperature. While the example of fifty meters is mentioned herein, other examples can include any predetermined distance, for example fifty yards, one hundred meters, or one hundred yards.

Therefore, the optical scope mounting system of the present disclosure utilizes a unique mounting system in which the base mount is back-sloped. “Back-sloped” as used herein indicates that the base mount is off a uniformly increasing slope resulting in the rear of the base mount being of higher elevation than the front of the base mount (“rear” being that portion of the base mount opposite the muzzle of the RPG launcher and the “front” being that portion of the base mount that that is proximate to the muzzle of the RPG launcher).

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a base mount 30. The base mount 30 has a first end 31and an opposite end 32 where the opposite end 32 is back-sloped or rises in elevation at a uniform rate from first end 31 to opposite end 32. As illustrated the base mount 30 can be in the style of a Picatinny Rail. In other embodiments, different types of rails can be implemented. When the mount is of the Picatinny Rail type, the mount provides for mounting of a variety of different available attachments while also providing a base for the optical scope as described herein.

FIG. 4 is an elevation view of the base mount 30 of FIG. 3. (Throughout the specification and drawing, like elements in different views may be given the same numeral identifiers). In FIG. 4, the details of the upper surface 33 of base mount 30 illustrate the Picatinny Rail configuration of alternating protrusions 34 and valleys 35 being formed between two adjacent protrusions 34. The protrusions 34 can be configured to have a flat upper surface. In other embodiments, the upper surface can have another shape such as a curve or two sloping sides. Base mount 30 has a dove-tail configuration shown as dove-tail portions 36, 37 adjacent the upper surface 33 to co-operate with the base of the rings 50 as described below.

The base mount may have a series of apertures 38, 39, 40 to receive fasteners, such as threaded fastening members. The fastening members can include screws, bolts, locking bolts, pins, removable pins, rivets, pluts, and other fasteners. The fastening member are configured to secure the base member 30 to the RPG launcher. Apertures 38, 39, 40 may be shaped as a throughbore with a shoulder 41 to receive a shaft and a head of the fastening member, so that the fastening member does not protrude beyond the surrounding surface of the base mount. Thereby, the fastener will not interfere with the mounting of scopes to the base mount. The lower end 42 of base mount 30 is configured to be complementary to the outer periphery of an RPG launcher and so may be radiused or beveled to fit snugly against a typically curved outer surface of an RPG launcher.

FIG. 5 is a schematic end view of the base mount 30 of FIG. 3. FIG. 5 further illustrates the base mount 30 to allow for depiction of the dovetail portions 36, 37 and lower end 42 of base mount 30. In at least one embodiment, the dovetail portions 36, 37 can have other shapes to accommodate different types of mounts. The rings 60 can be mounted as shown in FIG. 10, which is described below. The attachment of the rings 60 is described in relation to a clamping configuration for the illustrated base mount 30. When the base mount 30 takes different shapes corresponding changes in the clamping can be made.

FIG. 6 is a schematic view of a ring 60, which mounts to base member 30 by adjustably clamping lower clamping members 61, 62 onto the dovetail portions 36, 37, respectively. A thumb nut 63 can be used to apply sufficient force upon treaded stud 64 (only partially shown in FIG. 6) to urge clamping members 61, 62 against dove-tail portions 36, 37 to accurately and repeatedly position ring 60 onto base mount 30. The exposed portion of threaded stud 64 will fit into the valley 35 between adjacent hills 35, 35 in the Picatinny rail.

Ring 60 has a body portion 65 which will offset the optical scope 20 laterally of the bore 80 of the RPG launcher 81 and above the centerline of the bore 80 of RPG launcher 81, even if the base mount 30 were uniform in height. Laterally as used herein refers to spacing the optical scope 20 off to one side of the bore 80 so that it is not over the top portion of the bore 80. For example, the optical scope 20 can be offset laterally to the left side of the centerline of the bore 80. In other embodiments, the optical scope 20 can be offset laterally to the right side of the centerline of the bore 80. The present disclosure can allow for switching the scope from the left side to the right side and vice versa using the same pair of rings 60. The rings just need to be rotated about one hundred-eighty degrees.

However, given that the base mount 30 is back sloped, the line of sight through optical scope 30 will not be parallel to the centerline 80 to the bore of RPG launcher 81, but will be at an angle α thereto. In one embodiment, the angle α is in the range of about 2°-3°. In one specific embodiment, the angle α is about 2.50°. The angle α is calculated based on the behavior of the RPG round that the RPG launcher is configured to fire. For example, when the angle α is 2.5° as described herein, the angle can be based on the above described characteristics of the RPG. The divergence between the centerline 80 of the bore or RPG launcher 81 and the line of sight through optical scope 30 is illustrated in FIG. 9.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of one ring 60 of the pair of rings. The treaded fasteners 67, 68 which secured the mating cap 66 to body portion 65 of the ring can be seen as well as threaded stud 64. The mating cap 66 and body portion 65 each terminate in a semi-circular shape so as to securely retain between them the exterior surface of optical scope 20. When the ring 60 includes the arrangement as presented in FIG. 7, it is possible to accommodate different diameters of scope tubes. In at least one embodiment the spacing of the threaded fasteners 67, 68 are such that it accommodates a tube up to the spacing between the threaded fasteners 67, 68 minus the thickness of half of each of the fasteners.

FIG. 8 illustrates, in perspective view an RPG launcher 81, having a muzzle 83 and the optical scope mounting system of the present disclosure. Conventional elements of the RPG launcher 81, such as the handle, trigger and other elements well known to those skilled in the art will not be separately discussed. It should be noted that FIGS. 8 and 9 illustrate the mounting arrangement for a right eyed shooter of the RPG launcher 81, but the rings 60 may be reversed in orientation on base mount 30 to accommodate a left eyed shooter.

FIG. 9 is an elevation view of the RPG launcher of FIG. 8 to show further details of the optical scope mounting system. Metal or metal alloy materials can be used for forming the base mount 30 and rings 60, including aluminum and its alloys and iron and its alloys. Steel can also be used.

FIG. 10 illustrates a view down the bore 85 of the RPG launcher 81. As illustrated the base mount 30 is coupled to the RPG. The base mount can be seen to slope. Specifically, a front one of the rings 60 is seen lower than a rear one of the rings 60. (The “rear” being distal from the muzzle). As illustrated, the optical scope 20 is laterally offset from the bore 85 by a predetermined distance 90 in the horizontal orientation and another predetermined distance 92 in the vertical distance. This allows from proper eye relieve and sighting of using the optical scope 20.

The embodiments shown and described above are only examples. Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present technology have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the present disclosure, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in the detail, especially in matters of shape, size and arrangement of the parts within the principles of the present disclosure to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms used in the attached claims. It will therefore be appreciated that the embodiments described above may be modified within the scope of the appended claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An optical scope mounting system for a rocket propelled grenade (RPG) launcher, the system comprising: a rail mount, the rail mount having a lower surface shaped to be complementary to an exterior surface of the barrel of the RPG launcher and to be mounted over and in-line with a bore of the RPG barrel, the rail mount having an upper surface to accept a pair of rings configured to receive the optical scope; a pair of rings, each ring of the pair of rings having a base configured to engage with the rail mount and a portion to receive the optical scope; and wherein the rail mount is shaped so as to be back sloped in a direction opposite to a muzzle of the bore.
 2. The optical scope mounting system according to claim 1, wherein a connecting portion of the rings between the base and the portion to receive the optical scope is shaped to position the optical scope offset from, and laterally of, the bore of the RPG.
 3. The optical scope mounting system according to claim 1, wherein the upper surface of the rail mount has a Picatinny configuration.
 4. The optical scope mounting system according to claim 1, wherein the rail mount has a dovetail portion.
 5. The optical scope mounting system according to claim 4, wherein the base of the rings have a shape to engage the dovetail of the base.
 6. The optical scope mounting system according to claim 5, wherein the shape on the base of the rings is adjustable so as to clamp on the dovetail of the base.
 7. The optical scope mounting system according to claim 2, wherein the connecting portion is shaped so as to position the optical scope parallel to the bore of the RPG launcher, but at a position both laterally away from and above the bore of the RPG launcher.
 8. The optical scope mounting system according to claim 7, wherein the connecting portion terminates in a semi-circular open ended shape.
 9. The optical scope mounting system according to claim 8, further comprising a mating cap portion to join the connecting portion which terminates in a semi-circular open ended shape.
 10. The optical scope mounting system according to claim 9, wherein the mating cap portion is joined to the connecting portion which terminates in a semi-circular open ended shape by threaded fasteners.
 11. A rocket propelled grenade (RPG) launcher in combination with the optical scope mounting system according to claim
 1. 12. The rocket propelled grenade (RPG) launcher in combination with the optical scope mounting system according to claim 11, further comprising an optical scope.
 13. The optical scope mounting system according to claim 6, wherein the shape on the base of the rings is adjustable so as to clamp on the dovetail of the base comprises a complementary half dovetail shape and a variable screw member.
 14. The optical scope mounting system according to claim 13, wherein the variable screw member comprises a threaded stud and a thumb nut.
 15. The optical scope mounting system according to claim 1, wherein the rail mount is comprised of steel.
 16. The optical scope mounting system according to claim 1, wherein each of the rings is comprised of steel. 